Turmoil Seems To Follow Clayton

December 8, 1992|By Jason Cole of The Sentinel Staff

MIAMI — The constant controversy surrounding wide receiver Mark Clayton took another interesting step when he supposedly had a tantrum at halftime of the Miami Dolphins' loss in San Francisco on Sunday.

But coach Don Shula and several players disputed the severity of the outburst, during which Clayton threw a helmet in anger over not getting more passes thrown to him. Clayton caught a season-low one pass for 8 yards on the second play of the second half.

Several players told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel that Clayton yelled at halftime. Shula dismissed the claims, and Clayton was unavailable for comment.

''When you play the way we've played the past few weeks, people look for this sort of stuff,'' said Shula, who said he had been told that Clayton threw a helmet but didn't hear any outburst.

Backup tight end Greg Baty said he heard nothing: ''The locker room at Candlestick is one big room, so you'd think you'd hear something. . . . I typically don't like the player Clayton is being portrayed as, but I like Clayton.''

Clayton has groused about not hearing from the Dolphins about a contract extension and about the contract that tight end Keith Jackson received when he was signed as a free agent.

This is the final year of Clayton's contract, which pays him $1.25 million this season, and he is demanding close to $2 million a year for an extension. His agent, David Ware, said that the Dolphins have not talked to him about an extension since they submitted two proposals in September. General Manager Eddie Jones said the two sides have ''corresponded.''

Clayton, 31, has only 34 catches for 467 yards and two touchdowns this season. His totals project to 44 catches for 608 yards. Those would be the second-worst marks of his career since becoming a starter in 1984. He has never caught fewer than three touchdowns in a season.

All of that means Clayton won't have much to work with when he goes to peddle his services in the off-season. Considering he has had neck injuries in each of the past two seasons, he might not get half of what he's asking, especially if there is wide-open free agency.